Atmospheric polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations and apparent degradation in coastal New Jersey

To characterize the atmospheric dynamics and behavior of organic compounds in the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary, atmospheric concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured at coastal, suburban and urban sites in New Jersey in 1997-1999. Sigma PCB concentrations at the suburban site varied f rom 86 to 2300 pg m(-3) and from 84 to 1100 pg m(-3) at the coastal site. A lthough the temporal trends of total concentrations were significantly diff erent at the three sites (p < 0.01), PCB congener profiles revealed similar patterns (r(2) > 0.90. p < 0.001) implicating a dominant emission type and /or process. Temperature explained > 50% of the total variability in In[PCB ] at both sites. Atmospheric concentrations at the suburban site increased when winds blew from an eastnortheast vector, while increased wind speeds l ed to a slight dilution. Wind speed and direction were not significantly co rrelated with the concentrations measured at the coastal site. Temporal cha nges in congener distribution at the suburban site are consistent with the preferential atmospheric removal of 3-5 Cl-biphenyls by hydroxyl radical at tack with estimated half-lives of 0.7-1.8 years. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.